Bonded
by Doll Girl
Summary: Own no one. The Professor wakes up from a nightmare about the water trough scene and rushes to see him. An unseen bond is created between them that will connect them forever.


_Roy felt a scream get caught in his throat as Kinkaid fired and Gilligan fell into the fresh water trough. He and the Skipper ran over as Kinkaid pulled out the bloody First Mate. He stared in horror as Gilligan's lifeless eyes stared right at him as if accusing him of letting this happen._

_The Skipper ran at Kinkaid in a rage but a bullet right between the eyes killed him and he fell against the trough spilling the bloody water everywhere._

_"__No!" Roy finally managed to cry out as he fell to his knees between his two brave friends. He looked up as Kinkaid cocked his gun again with an evil smirk. "So, Professor will you be next?"_

_"__Please Kinkaid! Spare the others!" Roy pleaded._

_Kinkaid only grinned sinisterly as he aimed at the Professor. "After you I'll take care of that stuck up millionaire and his harpy of a wife! Then that sweet little farm girl." His smirk turned lustful. "Then I'll have Ginger Grant all to myself!"_

_The blood drained from his face. "No!"_

_"__So long Professor…"_

Roy shot up with a gasp as his heart pounded in his chest so hard it threatened to burst out of him! In his mind he knew that everyone was alright. Gilligan had lived. Kinkaid had left.

His heart needed the reassurance. He got off of his cot and ran to the Crew's Hut where he burst in eyes searching for the young sailor.

He saw him safe and sound in the Skipper's arms as they stood in the center of the hut. The boy looked over at him with haunted eyes.

Haunted but alive. "Professor?" he asked quietly. "Are you ok?"

Roy swallowed. "No. I'm not." He went over and the Captain nodded knowingly before stepping away. He pulled the boy to him in a close embrace.

"You're shaking Professor," Gilligan said swallowing. "Did you have a bad dream too?"

The scholar hung onto him as he looked up at the Skipper worried features. Finally his heart slowed down but his grip on Gilligan didn't lessen. "It… was of what could have been." He swallowed as he finally pulled away and put his hands the First Mate's shoulders. "It was at the trough. He got you" He took a shaky breath. "Then the Skipper...after me he would get the others."

"I'm here Professor," Gilligan said swallowing as tears leaked out of his eyes.

The Professor nodded as he let out a shaky breath. "Thank you for living Gilligan. I have no doubt in my mind that if you hadn't he would have come after the rest of us."

The young sailor nodded. "I...I know that...that kept me going. I knew he wouldn't be satisfied...not with just me."

Roy reached up and wiped the tears away. "I'm proud of you my dear friend. You are the bravest of us all."

"Amen to that," Skipper said gently as he put his hands on both young men's shoulders. "You want to stay in here with us tonight Professor?"

"I couldn't intrude…"

"Please Professor...stay?"

How could he deny Gilligan's request? He nodded and the three men sank to the ground with Gilligan in between his two mentors. The Skipper pulled him into his lap and cradled his First Mate like a father would his child as the Professor sat in front of them.

The Professor gazed at the boy he had grown to care for and love like a brother in sadness. Right now, in the Skipper's arms he looked like a frightened child. He realized that at this moment that was exactly what Gilligan was.

He wanted to comfort him, do anything to help him and he was willing to do whatever it took to bring his little brother home but what could he do? What did Gilligan need?

Roy tried to put himself in GIlligan's shoes. If he was the one needing comfort what would he want?

He'd want a book to read to take his mind off of his troubles and he'd lock himself in his lab. He had done it many times before to the worry of his parents. Gilligan didn't have that option.

Gilligan curled up and let out a shaky breath. His head laid against the Skipper's shoulder.

The Professor watched them for a long moment before he reached over and touched the First Mate's shoulder. When Gilligan looked at him he smiled gently and moved his hand to the boy's cheek. Their eyes met.

Gilligan felt a little lost in the gentle blue eyes of the smartest mad he'd ever met. He felt like he was seeing the highest point of the sky. The intelligence shown as it usually did but it wasn't the foremost thing Gilligan was reading. He felt himself calm and the nightmare fade away.

Gilligan wasn't the only one feeling lost in their shared gaze. Roy felt like he was swimming in the deepest ocean. Swirling around in those deep blue eyes was an innocence that the world hadn't been able to destroy no matter how hard it tried. In those eyes he saw the boy's heart.

The Skipper remained quiet as he looked between the two knowing what was happening. Something good was coming out of this nightmare. Gilligan was working his magic on the man of science. Even though they had been there for years the Professor had remained immune to Gilligan's magic. Yes he was patient with him and cared for him but they didn't really bond.

They were now. As horrible as the scene at the water trough was it had obviously scared the Professor enough to realize how much he had truly come to care for the young man and finally allow Gilligan to cast his spell and melt his heart.

Much like he had done to the captain so many years ago.

Roy traced his thumb over the boy's cheek. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. It won't again."

"You can't promise that," Gilligan said sighing.

Roy's eyes hardened in determination. "Oh yes I can and I intend to Little Brother!"

He watched the eyes of the young sailor widen in shock. "Wh-what?"

Skipper only chuckled as Roy released his cheek and held his hand meeting his eyes. "You heard me."

Gilligan's eyes filled and he swallowed.

"Go to sleep Gilligan. Nothing will harm you with us on guard," Roy said gently but he meant every word.

Gilligan nodded and his eyes slid shut. He said nothing as he felt the Skipper's arms wrap tighter around him and fell to sleep under the watchful gaze of his father and big brother.

It was the best sleep he'd had in a long time.


End file.
